You have my word, and my bow
by MagicJediElf
Summary: This is Legolas' journey to Rivendell before he joins the fellowship! Please review! DISCLAIMER: All characters, names and settings belong to J.R.R Tolkien (except for Äri)
1. Chapter 1

The throne room in Mirkwood was rarely a pleasant place to be in. It was softly lit, yet dark and foreboding; One could say it was like the minutes before dusk embodied in a room. The source of the mysterious glow was invisible, but the shadows could be seen dancing on the walls, even when someone was standing as stiff as a rock. And on this autumn evening there stood a brooding, young elf, tall as a tree, and still as a rock, staring at his dancing shadow - with his back to his father.

Of all the elves in the palace Legolas Greenleaf was the only one permitted to show any disrespect to the king whatsoever. Of course, it was rare that he ever did, but when he decided to, it was a sight to behold.

"Legolas, you know we need you here, besides, how can we even be sure that this is true? The Rivendell elves and the Wise have made mistakes before!" King Thranduil had abandoned his formal speech on this occasion.

"How many times have I had to tell you father. Have you completely forgotten the battle under the mountain!? We may have defeated the orcs, but we lost so many lives without even scratching the forces of evil. Ignorance is fatal, isn't it obvious that Sauron has returned, what problem do you have with helping the cause and sending me to the council?"

That was the issue, Legolas had heard that an elven representative was needed and refused to stop talking about it. He had been, quite rightly, sick of following Gollum around like a slave and chasing spiders around the forest. He had tasted proper, actual, real adventure when the dwarves came, now that was all he wanted. Thranduil knew it, but Legolas just couldn't understand why he wouldn't let him have it.

"See, Legolas... Son. I have absolutely no problem with helping defeat Sauron, but I can simply not afford to have you gone from here, it is dangerous..." "Ha, I knew it, you know he's back don't you! It is dangerous! Gollum's gone, orcs could be in the forest! If you know Sauron's back, then why don't you just send me?"

Thranduil couldn't help but wonder if his son was being serious. As if he, his father, would send him out into the forest, to Rivendell, because Sauron was back? Wouldn't that be even more of a reason not to send him? He was beginning to wish that Galadriel would just come and tell him what his son was thinking!

"I never said he wasn't back Legolas, I just..." "Actually, Thranduil, oops, father, may I quote you your majesty? You happened to say How can we even be sure that this is true? the Wise have been wrong before. Do you call that supporting the claims that Sauron has returned? Because if you do, you should take lessons on how to articulate your opinions."

The king couldn't help grimacing at his son's impersonation of him. As soon as Legolas had begun to quote him he had immediately shifted into a terrible attempt at a majestic pose and had made a rather ridiculous face, all the while trying to imitate his father's Sindarian accent.  
When his son recovered from his rant, he couldn't help but grin at him, it seemed that he was more deflated now than he would have been after a day's worth of archery practise followed by ten laps of the castle.

"Why are you smiling dad? It's not funny, I reallyyyy, reallyyyyyy want to go!"  
Legolas flopped on the floor in defeat and looked up at his father. He was beginning to doubt that had any bargaining power at all, and he was starting to really hate this discussion.

Being the king, Thranduil had often wondered if his son was going to be a good heir, well, most of the time he looked at Legolas as a prince, not really as his son. So now he imagined what it would be like if every time he began to lose a debate, he fell to the ground and began to sulk. Then, as a last resort looked up at his opposition and began to perform the magic phenomenon of puppy dog eyes. He found it rather mind blowing that his son, thousands of years old, was still so young at heart. He began to chuckle at the thought and looked thoughtfully at his desperate, and exhausted son sitting on the floor.

"Daaaaadddd! Stop laughing!"

"I'm sorry Legolas, but you are genuinely hilarious!"

"No I'm not, tell me why you won't let me go"

"Legolas you just told me yourself why I wouldn't want you to go. It's dangerous out there, Orcs have been spotted all over the land, and- and there's Gollum, and, don't you know, haven't you learned that Mirkwood is dangerous?"

Thranduil sighed while he watched his son quickly make a note that he had seen his father stutter, and then, resume his argument.

"I have learned that much in my 2000 years father. But have you not learned that I am the best shot in this palace? Will you not give me a chance? To prove myself, to see something other than my shadow on a stone wall, or a poisoned deer in the forest?"

Finally, Thranduil realised he would have to give in to his son. He loved him, he was his family, but he couldn't just imprison him. He had tasted adventure, now nothing else mattered to him. He remembered when he had said to Thorin Oakenshield "One hundred years is a blink in the life of an elf" Legolas had waited thousands, not really a blink any more. Thranduil knew he should let him go, but he couldn't bare to lose him. But keeping him in the palace was just as bad.

"Legolas, you are my son, and I do not want to lose you. I know you will do anything in your power to stay alive, and to help others too, like your mother. I just, I have been reluctant because, I know you will go, if you have a chance."

"Go, where?"

"They won't send one person on a quest of such importance, not now, when Sauron is such a threat. If they ask, you can go, but be careful Legolas Greenleaf, and come back, please."

"I give you my word dad, and my bow" And with that Legolas, walked solemnly, yet joyfully out of the throne room.


	2. Chapter 2

Legolas inspected his new bow with searching eyes. It was long and graceful and made from the trees in Mirkwood. It was relatively light compared to other bows the size of his, but it was heavy enough to feel steady in his hands. Legolas felt so important choosing weapons from the royal store, he looked up at his father who nodded in approval of his son's choice of weapons.

"Legolas, be safe, I want to see your face again. Your pack is ready and so is the horse"

When Legolas looked up at his father he immediately stepped back. Was that, a tear? He cringed as he saw it vanish into his cheek and cautiously offered his father handkerchief.

"If, if you really, _really_ can't bear to see me leave... now" Legolas didn't really know what to say, he wasn't going to give up this opportunity now that it had been offered to him  
"I can always wait another day or two"

"No, no off you go, be safe, and look out for Orcs, and Gollum"

"Thanks dad" Legolas felt the autumn breeze on his face as he mounted his white horse and waved to his father, he knew his father would watch him until he crossed over the horizon and could virtually hear him thinking 'don't do anything stupid Legolas' but he stopped thinking and looked out along the river. Despite his father's advice he decided to follow the enchanted river down to the Mirkwood Mountains. He would cross them and then follow the old forest road out of the forest, across the ford and into the mountains where Rivendell was hidden. However, it looked like he would be following his father's advice after all, because he had just missed the turn, and could now barely see the opening in trees.

He couldn't help but remember the dwarves escape from Mirkwood in the barrels now. The river was raging as usual and he could see some of the wine barrels floating off to the remade Laketown, that was one tradition that _hadn't_ changed since Smaug had been destroyed. He definitely admired the intelligence of the company's hobbit, Bilbo seemed to have a knack for getting out of sticky situations, Legolas hadn't even thought that they would get to the barrels when he had been guarding them. Those dwarves were extremely ungrateful too; they should have been kinder to the Hobbit instead of sending him away, but what else was to be thought of dwarves?

He looked back at the river, and at the barrels, wondering how the dwarves could have fit in them (especially the fat one) when he noticed one was sitting unusually low in the water. He could see the end of Mirkwood and the curve in the river on the horizon. He dismounted and ran over to the river, following the barrel. It dipped up and down in the rapids and Legolas could hear a muffled yelp when it was turned to its side. Knowing that someone or something was in the barrel he ran to the curve in the river and hauled it to shore.

The inhabitant of the barrel was, thankfully, not a malicious prisoner escaping - but rather, an elf child in her early thirties. The girl had long, bistre hair, the same colour as the soil on the riverbank, which reached her hips and deep blue eyes like twilight. To a mortal man she would have appeared as a twelve year old, but Legolas knew she was an elf.

"Why, and how did you get into that barrel?" Legolas realised it probably wasn't the friendliest greeting but it would have to do

"I am sorry Your Highness but I want to leave, I don't like being locked inside the castle – Why are _you_ out here?" Her voice was fair and sweet, but she was determined and unwavering before the prince.

"Please, don't call me Your Highness, I am going to an important meeting if you had to know. But, it is dangerous out here, especially for a young elf like you." The girl's responding glare frightened him, _he just sounded so much like his father. _

"Can you just leave me alone Your Highness, I don't want to go back, and you can't make me."

Legolas couldn't help but marvel at this girl's attitude, she was still calling him _Your Highness_ and was looking at him with a sassy facial expression "Well, if I left you here, where would you go? Do you even know your way around?"

It seemed that girl began to ponder what he had just said, that was a start. He was honestly trying to help her, but he was getting a hint that she might not have wanted to have his advice. Suddenly he heard a series of cries come from the forest, Orcs. He was expecting her to come up with some witty comeback about him not being able to sense danger, not push him into the lake and dive in after him. He grabbed his bow and scrambled to the edge of the river. He was about to send an arrow flying into the forest when he heard the sounds of elven horns blowing. Immediately he dove back into the river and hid behind a barrel. He would not let himself be seen by the other elves. How stupid he would seem, everyone would be whispering about how the prince was pushed in the river by a child!

As soon as he heard the elves galloping away he swam to shore and shook out his cloak. He was miserable, wet and cold, plus it was getting dark. He went back to the river and offered a hand to the girl.

"If you were wondering, the name I was hoping you would call me by is Legolas, but I would like it if I could call you something other than _girl_" he was hoping that his casual attitude would cheer her up.

"My name- is Ärilíeld but I would prefer Äri" The girl had begun to feel the cold and weight of her clothes and was waiting in anticipation while her teeth chattered constantly as Legolas sifted through his bags for spare cloaks.

Legolas threw a dark blue cloak and a piece of Lembas bread to Äri began to make space on the horse for her. He wished he could send her, the horse and all his spare supplies back to Mirkwood, but he figured that if he couldn't light a fire because of Orcs, he definitely couldn't send her alone back to the palace. Äri mounted the horse with ease and began to finger the reins  
"No, no I am leading the horse, you can ride behind me" Legolas was not going to let her, he _was_ after all in a slight rush, he couldn't be late to Rivendell. Äri shuffled back as Legolas mounted, but she had brightened up immediately after he said she would be riding somewhere.

"Where are we going Legolas?"

"I am crossing the Misty Mountains, but _you_ will be leaving me at the ford, you can ride a horse right?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Legolas' POV**

There had been few signs of orcs for the past three days, but Legolas stood in the dim light of the tiny fire with open ears and watching eyes as he drifted in and out of light sleep. His horse, pack and Äri were closely huddled together in the back of the cave, and Legolas could hear her shifting in the intervals of her dreams.

Legolas was relishing his adventure, and Äri and his horse had proven to be quite good companions on the journey. The trio were way ahead of schedule and were now only one day's ride from the ford where they was set to split, and despite his original ideas, Legolas was beginning to think that taking Äri all the way to Rivendell would actually be a good idea.

They were camped in a small cave, probably an abandoned troll hoard, on the edge of Mirkwood forest. They had been doing that for a while, riding on the outside of the forest and returning to it's borders at dusk to find shelter. He looked away from the tiny flames of the fire, took his bow and walked outside.

The whole ordeal was awakening his responsibility, and he was beginning to feel older. It seemed funny to him that adventure could do that to a person.

He scanned his surroundings for any sign of the ford. It was a river that led from Rivendell, he knew that. The one on his side of the mountains was no longer active though, it was more of a path, and those who were more accurate called it the _Old Ford_. The real ford was on the other side of the mountains, towards Eriador, Bree and Angmar. The other representatives, like the hobbit who had the ring, would be coming from that direction.

Suddenly, Legolas heard a distant crack. It was like an explosion, or thunder and he could feel the ground tremble beneath his boots. Äri rose behind him and looked around, until both of their eyes rested on a low peak in the horizon.

Lightning flashed around it and terrifying, high pitched squeals echoed throughout the valley. Their full view was blocked by what Legolas instinctively knew as the silhouettes of the Misty Mountains. However this lightning came from beyond- from the only peak high enough to be seen through the mountains, Amon Sûl. _Weathertop_.

Äri shrunk to Legolas' side, and only then did he realise that he too was beginning to become afraid. Although he was three days from the ford, he was a week from Rivendell and whatever foul creature was fighting on the peak of Weathertop, could find _him_. Could be going to Rivende

He hoped with all his heart that it was defeated by the light.

But little did he know that he was praying for Gandalf the Grey.

And that the foul creature was a Nazgûl and it _would_ be going to Rivendell.

Kicked into action by the prospect of making it to his destination before he could cross paths with creature, Äri and Legolas hurried to reassume their journey. They extinguished the fire, put on their cloaks and hung their satchels on their shoulders.

Cautiously, they lead their horse from the forest, looking for any evil creatures prowling in the darkness, or awakened by the screams of the monster from Weathertop. Then, they mounted and rode through the darkness, riding as fast as their steed would take them, and resolving only to stop at dawn, in the safety of sunlight. 

**Äri's POV**

Tears were welling up in Äri's eyes from the strength of the wind and her hair was coming undone and streaming out behind her like waves. The sounds of the Nazgûl had frightened her and she couldn't stop herself from trembling. Overcome with exhaustion Äri leaned against Legolas' back and wrapped her arms around his waist to stop herself from falling off.

The sky was pitch black and splattered with dim stars, but as Äri looked over the forest she could see a black cloud blocking the starlight over Mordor. The prospect of being left to ride back to the palace, by herself, was daunting. Although she knew how to use a bow, she wasn't especially good at making them, and even if she managed to, she would need arrows.

Plus, that would leave the prince, Legolas, to _walk_ the rest of his important journey, which would most likely involve a trip through the Misty Mountains- seeing as there were no important destinations on Mirkwood's side other than Thranduil's palace, which they left.

She wouldn't risk it.

* * *

_I hoped you liked it, I would really like some reviews- especially since this is the first time I've alternated POVs!  
thanks for reading!_


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